


Wild Geese

by BrownieFox



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, and Mettaton, ikd, just some friends talking, mentions amalgamates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 23:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16691383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownieFox/pseuds/BrownieFox
Summary: "You do not have to be good.You do not have to walk on your kneesfor a hundred miles through the desert repenting."- Mary OliverAlphys admits a couple things to Asgore.





	Wild Geese

Alphys breathed in a deep breath, trying to regain any composure she could. 

It was time. 

She had to do this.

While she walked, the monster looked towards the horizon. The sun was sitting low in the sky, washing the world in soft orange and pink hues. She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of the sight of it. Even now, it felt so surreal so look up and not see the rock that was the roof of the Underground. 

Eventually, Alphys came to her destination. She’d been to the school several times, mostly to for science presentations with the students. With how late it was, nearly everybody had gone home. Even Toriel had left, though a bit early for the teacher, but Alphys remembered Sans mentioning some plans. Plans that he’s extended to her, but she had rejected. Undyne had accepted, leaving Alphys alone for most of the night, which would mean it was the perfect day to gather her courage and tell Asgore.

The boss monster was still at the school, floral shirt covered in dirt, the white fur of his paws now a deep earthy brown. His tail twitched in time with the large clippers in his hands as he cleaned up the sides of one of the hedges. The area around him was lit up by the small magic fires floating in the air around him. Alphys swallowed nervously as she edged closer. Asgore was probably already aware of her presence, but as usual he just kept humming until she was a few feet away.

“Oh? Is someone there? It is getting awful late to be out. One moment while I finish clipping this hedge.” His deep rumble washed over her comfortingly, the strong voice of the King of Monsters. When was the last time she had talked to him? Since becoming the Royal Scientist she had avoided nearly everyone, and although she was much more social now she had still tried not to be alone in the same room as Asgore.

But the guilt, the lies, they were threatening to drown her. She lied awake last night as the truths attempted to claw their way up through her throat. While they no longer held as much impact as they had in the Underground, it was time to come clean.

“Ah, Doctor Alphys, so good to see you again.” He smiled, and now she knew that the warmth it emmenated was like the sun’s beams. The King set down the clippers and wiped his paws on his shirt, leaving dark trails in their wake, “What can I help you with?”

“I-i-if you’re b-b-busy, it, uh, it can wait.” Alphys felt some of her courage deep out now that she was actually standing before the towering monster.

“Nonsense! What king would I be if I did not take the time to listen!” Asgore chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “In all honesty, I have been finished with my work for some time now, just going over some of my work. What can I help you with?”

“Maybe, we, uh, w-we should g-go to m-m-my house.” Alphys offered. 

“Of course! Let me just gather my things.” Alphys worried her hands as the King put all of his gardening supplies in a bag. They walked side by side on the sidewalk, though Alphys didn’t offer any conversation, too preoccupied wondering if after tonight he would ever speak to her again. He was a kind and merciful king, but surely even he had his boundaries.

Asgore didn’t seem to find anything wrong with Alphys’s silence, easily filling the silence. He talked about Frisk’s grades in school, all the new plants he’d seen since being on the surface, his recent study of the constellations and how odd it was not to see the glowing stones above head. Alphys followed where he pointed as the first of the stars become visible in the dim light of dusk. He didn’t touch any politics as he spoke, and Alphys supposed he had enough of that being the King that he’d want to keep them out of his free time.

Undyne and Alphys’s house was a bit bigger than Undyne’s old one and much smaller than the lab. Undyne has insisted on painting it dark blue and Alphys had helped, a bit reluctantly at first, nervous being so high up on ladders, but by the end she was laughing so hard her stomach hurt and they were both covered in paint. There was still a big spot of the paint on walkway up to the door.

Alphys unlocked the door, glancing back in time to watch Asgore dip his head so his horns could get through. The doorway had been built with the variety of monster sizes in mind, and yet Asgore still was just a bit too tall.

The scientist led the way to the kitchen, rifling through her cabinets, hands starting to shake as she realized how close she was to telling him. She pulled out two mugs and withdrew the Golden Flower tea that Undyne always kept on hand. 

“Uh, if you could, m-maybe…? F-f-f-fire, uh, or even just a-any magic,” Alphys fumbled for words as she brought the mugs, filled with water, into the living room where Asgore was sitting, looking at a framed photograph with a soft smile. He set it down to take both mugs out of her hands and she was able to see it was a photo of Undyne’s. She was so young in it, hanging off of Asgore’s outstretched arm and grinning widely.

“Of course.” He didn’t so much as blink as flames filled his hands, boiling the water in moments. He handed one of the mugs back to Alphys. He look a sip, closing his eyes and relishing the flavor. “Mmm, Golden Flower, my favorite. Thank you Alphys. Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Uh, yes,” Alphys took a sip of the tea, none of its taste registering, “My K-k-king,”

“Alphys, please, how many times have I told you to call me Asgore?” Asgore’s smile was gentle as ever, and yet a chill crawled up her back. She had lied to that smile so many times.

“Asgore,” She corrected. She choked on air for a moment, knowing she needed to continue on but still gathering the strength to do so, and the King’s smile fell into a slightly-worried expression, “I-I… y-you’ve met the, uh, the amalgamates, right?”

The King set down his mug, eyes staying fixed on it.

“Yes, of course. They were good monsters. I knew most of them when they were… before they fell down. I have been getting to know them now as they are. Have you been to any of Lemonbread’s performances?” Asgore asked, finally looking back up, and now it was Alphys’s turn to look down at her mug.

“W-well, y-y-yes. That’s not what I, uh, w-wanted to talk ab-out.” Alphys’s claws clinked agains the ceramic. “I… Iwastheonethatmadethemlikethat!” 

Alphys peeked up, trying to gage Asgore’s reaction. His face was grim and he took a strained sip of his tea. 

“I know, Alphys.” Asgore sighed. Alphys looked up fully now, shocked.

“Y-you knew?!” Asgore nodded, slow and solemn.

“Frisk… they weren’t going to tell me, they believe in your agency. But they have nightmares very often. There are a lot of things they don’t tell me about, but, well… late at night, some things come out.”

“O-oh.” She had played this up so much in her head. She would reveal it to him, what she’d done. Asgore would stand up abruptly, maybe he’d shout at her and storm out. Or perhaps, instead, he would be cold and tell her he never wanted to see her again before stalking out. “B-but-”

“Alphys,” One of Asgore’s paws landed on her shoulder, “What’s done is done, they are as they are now.”

“I-I should’ve kn-known b-b-better! I-I betrayed the tr-tr-tr-trust of their families! I-” 

“ALPHYS!” Asgore barked, and Alphys flinched. He squeezed her shoulder gently. “You must move forward. Has this really been hanging over you all this time?”

She didn’t answer, but the answer was clear. 

“Th-there’s one other thing,” Alphys squeaked. “It’s- Mettaton… h-he’s not… I-I didn’t m-m-make a soul, Asgore. H-he’s just a ghost.”

Asgore blinked at her for a moment before shaking his head, a small smile on his face. 

“He always seemed too good to be true.” He chuckled. “I guess I always suspected. Some of the things he said, well,” Asgore shrugged, “The Blook family farm lost a number, and Mettaton once commented on my snail-buying habits.”

“Why didn’t you s-s-say anything?” Alphys’s brow crinkled. 

“I guess I wanted to believe it was possible. Heh, imagine, me, the King of Monsters, needing something to believe in.” He looked off to the side, and Alphys followed his gaze to a wall. She wondered what he was seeing. 

“I-I had n-no right to t-t-t-trick you like that.” Alphys sighed. 

“I suppose you didn’t,” Asgore agreed, “But I had no right to let you carry your lies by yourself, to look the other way while you withdrew into yourself. I guess we both did things that weren’t completely moral for the sake of Hope.” 

Alphys blinked, tears filling her eyes. How had she never noticed how tired he looked?

He understood.

Asgore wrapped her in a huge, and for the first time in years Alphys allowed herself to fully relax. It was going to be okay. 


End file.
